Christy Martin, Female Boxing Legend -- Shot, Stabbed, Hospitalized

Female boxing legend Christy Martin -- who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1996 -- is recovering after being shot AND stabbed yesterday ... and cops believe the attacker is her husband.

Cops in Orange County, Florida claim the 42-year-old former boxing champion -- who once fought on an undercard for Mike Tyson -- managed to stumble out of her home and flag down a passing motorist ... who took Christy to a local hospital.

Christy -- despite being SHOT AND STABBED -- mustered up enough strength to tell police that the man who pulled the trigger was her 66-year-old husband and boxing trainer James Martin.

Cops are currently on the hunt for Martin.

TMZ spoke with Don King -- Christy's former promoter -- who tells us, "I am shocked and saddened to see this happen to Christie. I send my prayers and well wishes."

Female boxing legend Christy Martin -- who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1996 -- is recovering after being shot AND stabbed yesterday ... and cops believe the attacker is her husband.

Cops in Orange County, Florida claim the 42-year-old former boxing champion -- who once fought on an undercard for Mike Tyson -- managed to stumble out of her home and flag down a passing motorist ... who took Christy to a local hospital.

Christy -- despite being SHOT AND STABBED -- mustered up enough strength to tell police that the man who pulled the trigger was her 66-year-old husband and boxing trainer James Martin.

Cops are currently on the hunt for Martin.

TMZ spoke with Don King -- Christy's former promoter -- who tells us, "I am shocked and saddened to see this happen to Christie. I send my prayers and well wishes."

Good Lord. That's a Shocker.

Just as well, she got out of the house or I suppose she wouldn't have survived.

Thanks for the Post. He must have been nuts...but at 66years, who knows...

Thats terrible. But to be both shot, stabbed, left for dead, and then still getting out to the street shows a remarkable will to live. Hopefully she will recover and this asshole will get whats coming to him.

World champion female boxer Christy Martin told cops her husband shot and stabbed her last week after she told him she was ending their relationship for another woman.

According to the Sheriff's report, Christy told officers she had been staying in a hotel for a few days before the incident ... and had gone home to tell her husband James Martin that she was leaving him for a woman named Sherry.

Christy told officers ... "James was very upset about this and has been threatening to ruin Christy's career and name for a long time." Christy claims James had also threatened to release "incriminating videos of her over YouTube."

Christy claims James shot and stabbed her after she broke the news -- but she managed to escape and flag down help.